Susan Clairmont's passing grade

REPORT CARD
for Susan Clairmont - The Hamilton Spectator - April 11, 2009
On the inquest for Jared Osidacz and Andrew Osidacz Susan completed her homework diligently despite being absent for some key
testimony. She led her epilog with:
"There were many missed opportunities. To save the lives of Jared and Andrew Osidacz."
Her first fourteen words are as brilliantly articulating of the tragedy as they are concise and complete! This is important because
most people have a short attention span.
GRADE: A+
She also cleverly identified on her list, in number one position, the most important (and least verbose) recommendation from the
jury:
"16. After a vicious assault and charges laid, the accused is put on bail with supervised access to children until the courts decide
appropriate intervention."
Again, Susan is right on the MONEY! GRADE: A+
Under the current regime, a father simply and immediately is denied access to his children whenever the mother merely alleges
assault. A pain, worse than death, is inflicted on him. This recommendation would let fathers immediately have access to their
children. If pleading guilty were no longer necessary to avoid a prolonged, possibly permanent separation from their children, how
many fathers then would go to trial? Surely at least the ones we consider seriously at risk because of their adamant denial and
minimization of the offense. This would promote better justice - when both sides are heard - denial and minimization vs. making it up
and exaggeration.
Susan was unable to report important facts but she recognized that problem so eloquently in her headline:
"Inquest a Miserable Failure - It never sought the full truth"
Yet despite the constriction, the Coroner suffered weeks of fantastic testimony and star-gazing. The most distressing problem to
thinking people must have been to see basic laws of science declared impertinent by some of the testimony. Such testimony,
however courageous and heartfelt it was made to sound, could only be believed by a thirsty public unable to analyze it except by
way of exciting crime series scenes.
Key physical evidence was unceremoniously sloughed over in the end. It seemed like the Wizard of Oz advising "pay no attention
to the bullet holes behind the shower curtain."
Susan's reporting on Oz was appreciated! No need for editing on the primary points. However, we might paraphrase Susan's title as:
"Inquest a Scarecrow - In search of a brain"
In conclusion, Susan has learned much over her three years on this story. Susan should be encouraged to share her true courage,
her kind heart and her insightful brain with all manner of lions, tin men and scarecrows. Everyone must understand that kids need to
be assured-regardless of what tornados may develop between their parents -"There's no place like home."